Stubborn Noise
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Record Breaker
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 473
From: North Carolina
Yeah, Ralph's absence leaves a big hole here. I miss him too.
There was a time when I actually ENJOYED working on cars. Of course, that was many years ago, back when I was young, healthy, and poor.
(now I am old, unhealthy, and still poor. ) These days, I just can't do a lot of the things I used to take for granted. That whole 'get down on the floor, wrench a bit, get up, grab tools, get back down on the floor' thing just doesn't work for me any more. After four or five iterations of that, I am done.... and need to take a break for a while. I can push myself, and keep going a little bit longer, when absolutely necessary, but, I pay for that later..... and it will take me a couple days to recover. It really sucks, but, there it is. Been dealing with it for more than a decade now, so, I have a good idea of what my limitations are, and try not to exceed them. (though I still have my stupid moments.......) Of late, I have been paying someone else to do the work that I used to do without a second thought. I dislike spending the money, but, the work needs done, and I can't/don't wanna do it. If I have someone to help, even if all they are doing is handing me tools, things go much better, but, none of my grandkids seem interested in learning any of this, and my kids all have their own lives to deal with. My granddaughter offered to help me once, but, at the time, she was like 8 years old, and all dressed for church..... So, having her out in the garage in a dress just didn't seem like a good idea. Maybe I should have taken her up on it. Might have piqued her interest in things mechanical.
There was a time when I actually ENJOYED working on cars. Of course, that was many years ago, back when I was young, healthy, and poor.
(now I am old, unhealthy, and still poor. ) These days, I just can't do a lot of the things I used to take for granted. That whole 'get down on the floor, wrench a bit, get up, grab tools, get back down on the floor' thing just doesn't work for me any more. After four or five iterations of that, I am done.... and need to take a break for a while. I can push myself, and keep going a little bit longer, when absolutely necessary, but, I pay for that later..... and it will take me a couple days to recover. It really sucks, but, there it is. Been dealing with it for more than a decade now, so, I have a good idea of what my limitations are, and try not to exceed them. (though I still have my stupid moments.......) Of late, I have been paying someone else to do the work that I used to do without a second thought. I dislike spending the money, but, the work needs done, and I can't/don't wanna do it. If I have someone to help, even if all they are doing is handing me tools, things go much better, but, none of my grandkids seem interested in learning any of this, and my kids all have their own lives to deal with. My granddaughter offered to help me once, but, at the time, she was like 8 years old, and all dressed for church..... So, having her out in the garage in a dress just didn't seem like a good idea. Maybe I should have taken her up on it. Might have piqued her interest in things mechanical. 
Administrator
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 87,478
Likes: 4,223
From: Clayton MI
Youth is wasted on the young. It's when we get older, and hopefully... smarter, that things come into perspective. I would dearly love to have the opportunity to go back to being 14 or so again, with my current knowledge. LOTS of things I would do different.
It's when we get older, and hopefully... smarter, that things come into perspective. I would dearly love to have the opportunity to go back to being 14 or so again, with my current knowledge. LOTS of things I would do different.
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Record Breaker
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 473
From: North Carolina
I found it!
The nuts on the left upper control arm were loose...the two nuts that secure the pivot bar to the frame rail bracket. I believe those also double as camber adjustments. I was adding washers to the top right shock mount (like I did to the left side) then inspected the rack n pinion bushings (saw nothing dramatic). About ready to wrap it up and said what the hell, let me put a ratchet on them pivot bar nuts and see what happens. I could turn them 1/2 - 3/4 of a turn. Each nut. They were loose enough to cause all that noise.
I never went back and checked them because I figured they were tight. I was the one who tightened them when I changed out the upper control arm bushings. I specifically remember torquing them to spec because they exceeded the limit of my torque wrench. Spec called for 155 ft/lbs, my torque wrench max is 150 ft/lbs. So I went as far as I could with my wrench (and about all my arms are worth these days), then got the breaker bar and gave it one more tweak. I remember it vividly. BUT, I suddenly remembered I had the truck aligned after I did all that work. So the kid who aligned it did NOT retighten them properly. BTW, he also was too lazy to remove the outside clamp on the tie rod boot when he adjusted the toe. I found my brand new rack boot all twisted up and dented in.
And yet another time and reason why I do not want anyone working on MY truck!! There are many fine mechanics out there but there are also many worthless punks out there too.
Now I supposed that those nuts came loose I should probably get another alignment??
The nuts on the left upper control arm were loose...the two nuts that secure the pivot bar to the frame rail bracket. I believe those also double as camber adjustments. I was adding washers to the top right shock mount (like I did to the left side) then inspected the rack n pinion bushings (saw nothing dramatic). About ready to wrap it up and said what the hell, let me put a ratchet on them pivot bar nuts and see what happens. I could turn them 1/2 - 3/4 of a turn. Each nut. They were loose enough to cause all that noise.
I never went back and checked them because I figured they were tight. I was the one who tightened them when I changed out the upper control arm bushings. I specifically remember torquing them to spec because they exceeded the limit of my torque wrench. Spec called for 155 ft/lbs, my torque wrench max is 150 ft/lbs. So I went as far as I could with my wrench (and about all my arms are worth these days), then got the breaker bar and gave it one more tweak. I remember it vividly. BUT, I suddenly remembered I had the truck aligned after I did all that work. So the kid who aligned it did NOT retighten them properly. BTW, he also was too lazy to remove the outside clamp on the tie rod boot when he adjusted the toe. I found my brand new rack boot all twisted up and dented in.
And yet another time and reason why I do not want anyone working on MY truck!! There are many fine mechanics out there but there are also many worthless punks out there too.
Now I supposed that those nuts came loose I should probably get another alignment??
Grand Champion
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,158
Likes: 724
From: S.W. Indiana
I found it!
The nuts on the left upper control arm were loose...the two nuts that secure the pivot bar to the frame rail bracket. I believe those also double as camber adjustments. I was adding washers to the top right shock mount (like I did to the left side) then inspected the rack n pinion bushings (saw nothing dramatic). About ready to wrap it up and said what the hell, let me put a ratchet on them pivot bar nuts and see what happens. I could turn them 1/2 - 3/4 of a turn. Each nut. They were loose enough to cause all that noise.
I never went back and checked them because I figured they were tight. I was the one who tightened them when I changed out the upper control arm bushings. I specifically remember torquing them to spec because they exceeded the limit of my torque wrench. Spec called for 155 ft/lbs, my torque wrench max is 150 ft/lbs. So I went as far as I could with my wrench (and about all my arms are worth these days), then got the breaker bar and gave it one more tweak. I remember it vividly. BUT, I suddenly remembered I had the truck aligned after I did all that work. So the kid who aligned it did NOT retighten them properly. BTW, he also was too lazy to remove the outside clamp on the tie rod boot when he adjusted the toe. I found my brand new rack boot all twisted up and dented in.
And yet another time and reason why I do not want anyone working on MY truck!! There are many fine mechanics out there but there are also many worthless punks out there too.
Now I supposed that those nuts came loose I should probably get another alignment??
The nuts on the left upper control arm were loose...the two nuts that secure the pivot bar to the frame rail bracket. I believe those also double as camber adjustments. I was adding washers to the top right shock mount (like I did to the left side) then inspected the rack n pinion bushings (saw nothing dramatic). About ready to wrap it up and said what the hell, let me put a ratchet on them pivot bar nuts and see what happens. I could turn them 1/2 - 3/4 of a turn. Each nut. They were loose enough to cause all that noise.
I never went back and checked them because I figured they were tight. I was the one who tightened them when I changed out the upper control arm bushings. I specifically remember torquing them to spec because they exceeded the limit of my torque wrench. Spec called for 155 ft/lbs, my torque wrench max is 150 ft/lbs. So I went as far as I could with my wrench (and about all my arms are worth these days), then got the breaker bar and gave it one more tweak. I remember it vividly. BUT, I suddenly remembered I had the truck aligned after I did all that work. So the kid who aligned it did NOT retighten them properly. BTW, he also was too lazy to remove the outside clamp on the tie rod boot when he adjusted the toe. I found my brand new rack boot all twisted up and dented in.
And yet another time and reason why I do not want anyone working on MY truck!! There are many fine mechanics out there but there are also many worthless punks out there too.
Now I supposed that those nuts came loose I should probably get another alignment??
I'd let the shop that did the work redo it, gratis. Make it VERY clear that poor work may have damaged front end parts. I do most of my own work, but I let the Mazda dealer change my oil and rotate the tires every 5000 miles. Last summer, I had it done and then left on a trip to Chattanooga Tn. I got caught in a tail back just north of Clarksville and noticed some odd clunking from the front end. Checking my lug nuts, I found the front wheel nuts all loose. Some were loose by two full turns. Before the dealer contacted me, CarFax checked in with me. I let them know what happened. I check my lug nuts before leaving the dealer now. I know it looks rude but I'm old and don't care. Like last summer when I had to "go" while at the pool. I figured I'd just go in the pool. The life guard yelled at me so loud I nearly fell in.
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Record Breaker
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 473
From: North Carolina
Originally Posted by ol' grouch;[url=tel:3539798
3539798[/url]]I'd let the shop that did the work redo it, gratis. Make it VERY clear that poor work may have damaged front end parts. I do most of my own work, but I let the Mazda dealer change my oil and rotate the tires every 5000 miles. Last summer, I had it done and then left on a trip to Chattanooga Tn. I got caught in a tail back just north of Clarksville and noticed some odd clunking from the front end. Checking my lug nuts, I found the front wheel nuts all loose. Some were loose by two full turns. Before the dealer contacted me, CarFax checked in with me. I let them know what happened. I check my lug nuts before leaving the dealer now. I know it looks rude but I'm old and don't care. Like last summer when I had to "go" while at the pool. I figured I'd just go in the pool. The life guard yelled at me so loud I nearly fell in.
I have a mechanic 12 miles straight north of me. Little town, older guys, rednecks, great neighborhood mechanics, practical, common sense, been around forever. I think I’m gonna let him do it. I trust him with no reservations.
Clarksville, huh? That’s where Scotty Kilmer lives.
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Record Breaker
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 473
From: North Carolina
I’m thinking of double nutting those pivot bar bolts so the nut doesn’t come loose again. I suppose I could throw a caliper on the bolt and count threads and maybe get the size right but I’d rather get the specified size. The Dodge parts catalog has it as part number 6031282. Of course they don’t tell you dimensions or threads. I cant find the corresponding sizes online but maybe I’m not looking in the right places. Anyone have an idea where this info might be?
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Record Breaker
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 473
From: North Carolina
Originally Posted by HeyYou;[url=tel:3539800
3539800[/url]]Yep. Needs an alignment. And I agree with the grouch. Have the shop that screwed it up the first time, do it right this time. No money outta your pocket.
No money outta your pocket.